Explore Norse Myths!: With 25 Great Projects

by Anita Yasuda, Bryan Stone (Illustrator)

Overview

The stories of Norse myths and legends are a terrific introduction to Viking culture, history, science, and traditions, which thrived in Scandinavia from the eighth to the eleventh centuries. But who were the Norse, who left their homelands in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden to trade, raid, and explore around the world? In Explore Norse Myths! With 25 Great Projects, young readers discover the remarkable people and mythical creatures of old.

Learning about Norse myths means unearthing the origin of Viking beliefs, as well as exploring their ships, tools, and other technology that flourished for nearly 450 years. Along the way, kids will read how Norse myths helped explain the natural world from thunder to the seasons, from creation to death. They may be surprised at how Norse myths continue to influence modern culture in the form of movies and books, including the new series by Rick Riordan.

Kids will read Norse stories and learn about the adventures of real Norse explorers, including Erik the Red and Leif Erikson. Through a mixture of fun facts, trivia, jokes, comics, and hands-on activities, kids will dig up Scandinavia's past and sail the seas along with the gods and giants in Explore Norse Myths!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619303201
Publisher:	Nomad Press
Publication date:	11/17/2015
Series:	Nomad Press Explore Your World Series
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Anita Yasuda is the author of more than 80 books for children and adults, including Explore Flight!, Explore Native American Cultures!, and Explore the Wild West! for Nomad Press. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators Performers (CANSCAIP). Anita lives in Huntington Beach, California.

Bryan Stone is a cartoonist and the illustrator of several books for Nomad Press including Explore Night Science!, Explore Flight!, Explore Rivers and Ponds!, Explore Rocks and Minerals, Explore Electricity!, and Explore Money!. He lives in West Fairlee, Vermont.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Explore Norse Mythology
Chapter One: Giant Geography
Chapter Two: Tides of Technology
Chapter Three: Exciting Explorers
Chapter Four: Fierce Fighters
Chapter Five: Lasting Legacy
Chapter Six: Similar Stories
Glossary
Resources
Index

Editorial Reviews

08/17/2015
Yasuda gives readers a quick, lively overview of Norse myths, the influence of Scandinavian culture, technological advances made by Vikings and other Nordic peoples, and more. Throughout, she intermixes history and myth—a description of Odin’s discovery of magical runes appears in a section about the influence of Norse legends (including the use of the runes for King Harald Blatand’s initials as the Bluetooth symbol). In addition to the 25 interspersed activities (which include making a woodcut of the nine worlds of Norse legend and a “mistletoe” wreath from green paper), numerous jokes, profiles of Norse deities, trivia- and vocabulary-packed sidebars, QR codes with links to online content, and Stone’s cartooning all contribute to the book’s interactive and visual appeal. Ages 7–10. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Explore Norse Myths! With 25 Great Projects
Booklist
“. . . .This engaging entry in the Explore Your World series is a great choice for the classroom and an entertaining introduction to world history”

Marla Conn, Educational Consultant
“Explore Norse Myths! is a true cross-curricular title where knowledge is interdependent and connected! This crossover in subject area enables students to achieve higher-level critical thinking and collaborative skills. Love it!”

Publishers Weekly, November 2016
“Yasuda gives readers a quick, lively overview of Norse myths, the influence of Scandinavian culture, technological advances made by Vikings and other Nordic peoples, and more. Throughout, she intermixes history and myth—a description of Odin’s discovery of magical runes appears in a section about the influence of Norse legends (including the use of the runes for King Harald Blatand’s initials as the Bluetooth symbol). In addition to the 25 interspersed activities (which include making a woodcut of the nine worlds of Norse legend and a “mistletoe” wreath from green paper), numerous jokes, profiles of Norse deities, trivia- and vocabulary-packed sidebars, QR codes with links to online content, and Stone’s cartooning all contribute to the book’s interactive and visual appeal”. Ages 7–10.

Praise for other titles by Anita Yasuda:

Explore Native American Cultures!
School Library Journal
". . . A wide range of ages will be able to take something away from this entertaining and useful title. "

Explore Natural Resources!
National Science Teachers Association
“This is the perfect activity book to instruct and demonstrate the immediate interconnectedness humans have with natural resources and the world.”

Explore the Wild West!
2012 Gold Moonbeam Award

School Library Journal
"Entertaining and informative. This is a useful and engaging introductory overview of the Wild West."

Explore Simple Machines!
Booklist
"Yasuda writes in particularly clear, simple language, and intersperses her explanations with historical notes, jokes, and 25 easy projects or demonstrations constructed from common materials."

Explore Water!
School Library Journal
"It’s impossible to read this book and not turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Children will come away with obscure facts and broad understandings about this vital resource . . ."

Explore the Solar System!
National Science Teachers Association
"The inviting cover of this science book will attract the attention of young readers right from the start. This is a great book to entice young readers to read more and learn a little science along the way. It would make an attractive addition to a school library."

From the Publisher